LOVING YOU FOR WHO YOU ALREADY ARE
by LADYGALE
Summary: Belle doesn't give Rumpelstiltskin true loves kiss and runs into the evil queen again
1. Chapter 1

Belle was lost in thought as she folded laundry.

She kept thinking back to a few days earlier when she had run into the woman all dressed in black, not knowing she was the Evil Queen. She kept remembering what she had said to her.

_True love's kiss will break any curse_

When Belle returned to the castle she hadn't even tried to kiss Rumpelstiltskin. If she kissed him it would be because she loved him, not to break a curse.

"Belle."

Belle was startled and knocked over the basket of folded laundry. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," She put the clothes back into the basket.

"It's just clothes Dearie,' Rumpelstiltskin told her.

Belle didn't say anything, nodding her head in agreement.

"I need you to go into town again to fetch me more straw."

"No problem. I'll go right after I refold these clothes."

"The clothes can wait. I'd rather you go now. It will be dark soon."

"Okay. I will be back as soon as I can," Belle said as she rushed out of the room.

Rumpelstiltskin watched as Belle hurried out of the room. He wondered what was wrong with her. Ever since she came back from town a few days ago she seemed a bit off and would barely look him in the eye. He knew that he was an unkind person and that Belle was used to it. Whatever was troubling her was much deeper.

Belle was heading back to Rumpelstiltskin's when she heard a carriage nearby. She looked back and was terrified that it was the same one from a few days ago.

She prayed that the carriage would pass her this time, but her prayers were short lived when it halted right in front of her.

The door swung open and Belle saw the same lady again dressed all in black. She smiled devilishly at Belle. "What a coincidence running into to you twice in one week."

"It must be," Belle said a little scared.

The Evil Queen left her carriage and walked over to Belle. "So is your master/lover enjoying his new look?" She grinned wickedly.

"No, he's still the same."

The Evil Queen's smile was replaced with a look of horror. "You haven't given him true love's kiss."

"No I haven't," Belle tried to walk away but the Evil Queen grabbed her by the arm.

"I gave you a way to put him out of his misery and you didn't use it. Why not?"

"Yes Belle, why haven't you put me out of my misery," said a stern voice.

The two women saw Rumpelstiltskin leaning against the Evil Queen's carriage.

"Rumpelstiltskin what a surprise. I was just getting acquainted with your servant," the Evil Queen said coyly.

Belle was horrified to realized the lady knew that Rumpelstiltskin was her master and had been using her.

Pulling out of the woman's grasp Belle walked over to Rumpelstiltskin. "Please believe me, I…"

"Go back to the castle," he told her harshly.

"But…"

"Do as you're told!" He yelled at her.

Belle was near tears as she rushed off leaving the Evil Queen and Rumpelstiltskin to themselves.

"How dare you," Rumpelstiltskin said to the Evil Queen

"How dare I what?" The evil Queen asked innocently.

"You know very well what you did. You tried to get her to break my curse."

"I was just trying to give you a little push, help you out," The Evil Queen grinned.

"You did no such thing. You don't care about my happiness. You thought you could put thoughts into Belle's head, but you didn't succeed.

With one hand he grabbed the Evil Queen by the neck and with the other in a swift movement blew up her coachmen before they could try to rescue her.

"You already tried to be the fairest in the land and it failed, now you've failed at trying to be the most powerful. You'll never rise above me."

Rumpelstiltskin tightened his grip on her neck. "Try to come between me and my servant again and you will pay. I've heard rumors about a punishment for you, forcing you to dance wearing shoes made of hot coals. Wouldn't you like that Dearie?"

N….N…No," She choked out.

"Then stay the hell out of my life!" with the snap of his fingers he was gone. The Evil Queen fell to the ground gasping for air.

Rumpelstiltskin stormed into his castle. "Belle!" he howled. He didn't hear her coming. He wondered where she was.

In the dungeon Belle was sitting in the corner with her arms wrapped around her legs and her head lying against her knees. How could she have been such a fool for ever talking to that hateful woman? She hoped that Rumpelstiltskin would listen to her and understand she was never going to use true love's kiss on him without his knowledge.

The dungeon door slammed opened. Belle looked up and saw Rumplestiltskin's silhouette in the shadows.

What he said to her put her into utter shock.

"You can't serve me tea from here."


	2. Chapter 2

Rumpelstiltskin was in the dining room sitting at the head of the table, his arms resting on the arms of the chair.

Belle walked into the room carrying the tea set.

He didn't move or acknowledge her.

As she walked over to Rumpelstitskin he could tell she was nervous and scared just like the first night he had brought her to his dark castle, He heard the tea set clattering on the tray.

Belle set the tray down and poured some tea, her hands were shaking.

"Calm down dearie or I'll have a match for the chipped cup."

"Yes sir." She didn't look up at him as she handed him his tea and started to walk away.

"Aren't you going to have a cup?" He called out to her.

Belle stopped dead in her tracks. She couldn't believe that he wanted her to sit down with him for tea after what he'd overheard between her and the lady on the road.

Belle retreated back to the table and picked up a cup.

"I'd rather you use the chipped one," he told her.

Belle took the cup and poured herself some tea, then headed over to the opposite end of the table.

"Sit next to me," he ordered.

Belle nervously complied.

For a moment everything was at a standstill. Neither one of them talked. As Rumpelstitskin was sipping his tea, Belle was almost gulping hers so that she could hurry out of the room.

When Belle finished she was about to stand up. "Have another cup Dearie" Rumpelstiltskin said to her.

Belle realized there was no way of running from him. She poured herself another cup of tea, but this time sipped it realizing that drinking it quickly would do her no good.

As Belle took a sip of the tea, Rumpelstiltskin put his cup down and lay his arms back on the chair again. "Good tea," he said to her.

"Thank you," Belle replied.

"How long have you been friends with the queen?"

"She…she's a queen?" Belle said surprised.

"Not a queen, the queen. She is Snow White's stepmother."

"I swear I had no idea. She never told me who she was."

"What did she tell you?"

"That true love's kiss would break the curse on you."

"Wow, what a theory. Why haven't you changed me from the beast I am back to a man then?"

"You are no beast."

"Don't mock me Belle it doesn't suit you," Rumpelstiltskin stood up and walked over to a full length mirror. He removed the drape from it and looked at his gruesome reflection, wondering who could ever love him.

Belle came up behind him. "What do you see when you look there?"

It took him a moment to respond. "A hideous monster."

"I see a man who's sad and lost."

Rumpelstiltskin looked at her. "Don't lie to me," he said as his voice cracked.

"It's no lie Rumpelstiltskin. You are a man and handsome in a different way."

Rumpelstiltskin undid a few buttons of his tunic baring his chest. It was a grayish green color. "How is this ugly skin handsome?" He showed her his hands which were the same color as his chest, the fingernails were black and pointy. "Or these?"

Belle put a hand on Rumpelstiltskin's bare chest. He started trembling. He never thought a woman would ever touch him as Belle was. He grabbed onto her hand and kept it there in fear she'd move it away.

Rumpelstiltskin put his forehead against Belle's. "You never answered my question. Why haven't you kissed me?"

"I do want to kiss you, but for the right reasons. Not to rid you of a curse, but because I love you."

He looked at her in shock.

"I'm not lying. What I'm saying is true. When I first met you I was scared, but then I got to know you. The real you. I love you Rumpelstiltskin."

Rumpelstiltskin leaned in and kissed Belle lightly on the lips. He stepped back and saw a look of love on her face. She wasn't repulsed.

He kissed her again slowly. When they broke the kiss both of them looked in the mirror. For the moment Rumpelstiltskin's complection was back to normal and his hands looked as they should have been. He smiled for the first time in a long time. Then he changed back to his other self.

Rumpelstiltskin looked at Belle. "Still find me handsome after what you just previewed?"

"Yes, the man before me now is who I fell for. I'll love that other man just the same, if he wants to come out."

"He does," Rumpelstiltskin whispered.

Belle wanted to kiss him again. He stopped her. "I think I can go awhile longer not being human."

Belle smiled knowing that for the moment Rumpelstiltskin would stay as he was. Someone finally loved him for himself.

Belle kissed him on the cheek.

"Don't you have some clothes that need refolding?"

Belle smiled. "I'll get right to them."

As Belle walked away Rumpelstiltskin called out. "While you're doing that. I'm going to have a room prepared."

Belle was shocked and surprised. In all the months that she'd been living in the castle they'd never had guests. "Are we expecting company?"

"No, but I can't have the woman I love sleeping in a dungeon."

The End


End file.
